Healthy Banana Bread (Gluten-Free, Kid-Approved, Hidden Veggies & Blender-Easy!)

Easy gluten-free banana bread with hidden veggies! Kid-approved, blender-ready, and naturally sweetened with maple or honey.

Today, I’m sharing a recipe that’s been a hit in our house for years: my blender banana bread. It’s naturally sweetened, 100% gluten-free, and includes a secret ingredient that even my super picky eaters don't notice—zucchini or squash! Yep. This one checks all the boxes: healthy, nourishing, affordable, and EASY. This is a great make-ahead breakfast (paired with healthy fats and proteins) or snack, and honestly, it disappears fast in my house—my 10-year-old would eat the whole loaf if I let him!

Why This Banana Bread Is Different (and Better!):

• Gluten-Free (uses oats instead of flour)

• No refined sugar—sweetened with maple syrup or honey

• Hidden veggies—zucchini or yellow squash blends in completely

• Blender-only recipe = no mess and no bowls

• Kid-approved texture and flavor

• Budget-friendly ingredients

  
  

This banana bread is also a sneaky way to get in fruits and veggies, especially when they’ve turned their nose up at squash every other way. If you’re on a gut healing journey, avoiding refined sugars, or simply trying to eat more whole foods, this one’s a winner.

Recipe: Healthy Banana Bread with Hidden Veggies

Ingredients:

• 3 medium overripe bananas (frozen & thawed works too—drain excess liquid!)

• 3 large eggs

• 2½ cups oats (rolled or quick oats)

• 1½ tsp baking soda

• Pinch of sea salt

• ¾ cup pure maple syrup, honey, or a mix of both

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Pinch of cinnamon

• 1 medium zucchini or yellow squash, peeled and shredded or chopped

  
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

2. Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend until smooth (batter will be runny).

3. Pour into a parchment-lined loaf pan (don’t skip the parchment!).

4. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

5. Let cool in the pan until you can handle it, then remove and let finish cooling on a towel on the counter.

6. Slice and serve with salted butter. So good! (Read my blog on why you need fat to see the science on why we love and enjoy real butter!)

   
   

Bonus tip: You can also make these into muffins—just pour the batter into a lined muffin tin and reduce baking time to around 20–25 minutes. They also freeze great!

A Note on Texture:

If you're new to gluten-free baking, the texture might feel a bit different while it's still warm. Let it cool completely if you can be patient—this helps it set up properly and slice beautifully. It’s dense, moist, and delicious.